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Early History of GXSA

Background

In 2016, as part of the 50th anniversary programme of GXSA, Chairman Stuart Gaunt initiated a project to document some of the early history of the Association. The 50th Anniversary dinner on 29th March 2016 was an opportunity to bring together some of the founder members to recount their recollections and celebrate the Association’s popularity and achievements. GXSA member Jane Moss hosted a table of Founder Members at the dinner and formed the starting point for this document, using notes that Ken Moss had made from the time of the 25th Anniversary dinner.

Relevant photographs or additional recollections from members that would enhance or correct this article would be very welcome.

GXSA: The First 21 Years

This section is based on recollections by Alf Sampeys, the first Secretary and Treasurer.

The first exploratory meeting leading to the Association was held on 24th November 1965. Martin Pelton was the first Chairman and Rex Ebbetts served as a Committee member.

The inaugural meeting of ''Gerrards Cross Yachting & Boating Association'' was on 10th March 1966. 30 Founder Members attended.

The first talk was ''Personal experiences of Yacht Cruising'' by Martin Tomlins, (subsequently an Honorary Member) illustrated with films.

It was in 1968 that the name was changed to Gerrards Cross Sailing Association (GXSA). In the early days, most members owned dinghies and raced on reservoirs. The majority of the talks, ten per year, were given by members, many of whom had sailed extensively in various areas of the Mediterranean and the Caribbean. There were many ups and downs during the formative years. Sometimes when meeting attendance was below ten, the partners of the Founder Members had to be coaxed to attend! There was a great deal of enthusiasm when GXSA chartered the 60 ft. yacht 'Overlord' for a weekend; twelve members sailed the yacht in the Solent area and across to Weymouth. Two Thames Barges were also chartered for a weekend.

By 1968 – 1969, the membership had increased to about 65. The first weekend Sailing Rally in the Solent was in the summer of 1969.

In 1970 the first Annual Dinner and Dance was held and autumn and spring Social Evenings (Christmas Nautical Hop, quiz, barbecue) were organised. In 1971 a GXSA Boat Show (!...) was organised at the Memorial Centre.

Brian Warren, who had been on the committee 1976 – 82, became Chairman 1978-80. He and David Henriques organised for the meetings to be transferred in 1979 from the Social Room to Colston Hall due to increasing attendance at the talks. Around this time, about 1980, the first Saturday Special was held. This was a one day course on Astro Navigation by GXSA member Ken Moss. Subsequent topics included Weather Forecasting, Electronic Navigational equipment, Practical Life-Raft Demonstrations and Marine Engine Maintenance.

Founder members present at the 50th anniversary dinner:

Alf Sampeys was the first secretary and treasurer, now 88. He retired to Spain in 1986, from where he travelled for this event. At the end of August 1986 he sailed his new Westerly Corsair Tal Querida from the Hamble to Alicante with one daughter and two male friends as crew. Alf and Joy now live permanently in Alicante. They have enjoyed sailing to Corsica, the Greek Islands, Tunisia, Malta, Sicily, Italy, and the Balearic Islands - Ibiza, Majorca, Minorca and Formentera (their favourite).

Rex Ebbetts was in charge of audio-visual, films and projectors for all meetings for almost 30 years, now 91. He retired to the South Coast but is still an “out of town” member, now known as Roland Ebbetts. Rex was President of the British Kinematograph, Sound and Television Society in 1979.

Susan Henriques represented her husband and past chairman, David Henriques. They moved to Lymington and David, 87, now has Parkinson’s disease so was unable to join the celebrations.

Founder members Brian Warren, Nigel Thomas and Robin Pratt also came to the dinner.

GXSA recollections 20 years on, from 1986

Nigel Thomas became Chairman 1986 – 87, having served on the committee 1982-87.

Honorary Members at that time included Martin and Joan Tomlins, Peter and Elizabeth Batterley, Bill and Peggy Rimmer, June Bushell, Derek Fawcett.

The 25th Anniversary dinner was held at Little Ship Club in 1991.

The 50th Anniversary dinner was held at the Compleat Angler, Marlow in 2016.

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A Selection of Speakers and Programme Material from the early years

The main emphasis during the years 1966-1969 was instructional, when most evenings were concerned with the art of Navigation and Seamanship, interspersed with a few well known speakers. From 1970 onwards, to broaden the appeal, talks of a more general nature were added.

Notable early speakers included:

Errol Bruce (RNSA, author Deep Sea Sailing)

Autumn 1966 and Autumn 1986

Derek Boyer (Rear Commodore Island SC)

Autumn 1967

Martin Tomlins (GXSA member)

Spring 1968

Bernard Hayman (editor Yachting World)

Autumn 1968 and Autumn 1979

Sir Alec Rose (single handed RTW)

Autumn 1969

Chay Blyth (1st non-stop single handed RTW westwards)

Spring 1970 and Spring 1972

Lt Col John Blashford-Snell (explorer, author)

Spring 1970 and Spring 1971

Roland Prout (Catamarans)

Autumn 1970

(John) Des Sleightholme (Editor yachting monthly)

Autumn 1970

Admiral Sir Charles Madden GCB (CIC Home Fleet)

Autumn 1971

Lt Col Lord Burnham (Hall Barn, Beaconsfield)

Spring 1972

Ewart Meyer

Autumn 1973

Robin Aisher (Olympic bronze 5.5m 1968)

Spring 1979

John Oakeley (1972 Olympics, Lionheart, Americas Cup)

Spring 1980

Capt David Hart-Dyke RN (of HMS Coventry

Spring 1983

Maj Ewen Southby-Tailyour (Falklands Pilot)

Autumn 1983

Recent talks from Autumn 2006 to the present day can be seen via the programme links on this web site but Nick Ringshall kindly compiled a list of all speakers and titles from 1979 -2006, shown below.